Typographical slug casting machine



y 1938. c. A. ALBRECHT TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l MMEWQM4 July 26, 1938. c. A. ALBRECHT 2,124,665

TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 50, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illl I ll II I! II II Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TYPOGRAPHICAL SLUG CASTING MACHINE Application November 30, 1936, Serial No. 113,385 In Germany July 10, 1936 11 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical slug casting machines and is concerned with the mould wheel and cooperating parts whereby casting of the slug is rendered effective.

As is well-known, when using characters of very large body it is necessary to make the formative cavities on the matrices deeper than usual in order to obtain good impressions. Since, by deepening the formative cavities, the whole slug height becomes greater, the mould has to be made correspondingly lower.

When these low moulds are used, a corresponding alteration of the parts of the machine co-opcrating therewith becomes necessary, and heretofore it has only been practicable to use in one and the same machine either moulds all of the usual height, or moulds all of lower height, the machine parts co-operating with the moulds in use being correspondingly adjusted.

The present invention provides an arrangement which makes it possible to use in the machine alternatively low and high moulds, and also such that moulds of the regular height and moulds lower in height may be used at the same time in the one machine. The invention is also applicable to the use at the same time in the one machine moulds which may be of any different heights, none necessarily being of regular size.

The drawings illustrate by way of example one constructional form of the invention, and in the said drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the mould disc as seen from the front;

Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1, showing also the clamping jaws holding the line;

Figure 3 is a section through Figure 1, taken in plan on the line 3-3, and drawn to a larger scale, wherein a low mould is in operative ejecting position;

Figure 4 is a similar section to that shown in Figure 3, but illustrates a high mould in the operative ejecting position;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the mould disc with moulds and vise frame;

Figure 6 is a section through part of the vise jaws drawn to a larger scale;

Figure '7 is an illustration of the arrangement for stopping the machine when the first elevator is not in its correct position;

Figure 8 shows the adjustment for the movement of the mould wheel slide when going over from one height of mould to another, and

Figure 9 is a section of part of Figure 8 drawn to a larger scale.

In the drawings, I is the mould disc which is equipped in the usual manner, and carries a number of moulds. The constructional form illustrated shows three moulds 2 of the usual height, and one mould 4 of a lesser height.

The moulds 2 are provided beneath the mould slot with two aligning grooves 5 in known manner, whereas the low mould 4 is fitted with only a single aligning groove 6, because the matrices adapted to co-operate with the low mould have only a single character, and need not therefore be presented to the mould at two different levels. In this case, therefore, the lower lugs of the matrices are always at the same level, namely, that of the groove 5.

"In the casting position, the mould occupying the top position shown in Figure 1, faces the clamping jaws l'which hold the matrix line between them. According to the invention, these clamping jaws are resiliently mounted. They are borne by a transverse running member or slide block 8 with a shelf 9 with which they are adapted to move in a guide iii of the vise frame. H, and the parts 9 in the recess ill have play in the foreand-aft direction, which corresponds in amount to at least the difference in the height of the two moulds 2 and 4. In bores of the shelf 9 are ar ranged springs l2, adapted to bear on one side against the end of the bore and each supported on the other side by a plunger which carries a rearwardly projecting pin 83. This pin I3 rests against the rear wall of the recess It] so that the springs have the tendency to press the jaws 1 firmly against the mould. Any desired number of springs may be used.

In the ejecting position in which the mould 4 is shown in Figure 1, the mould, in order better to withstand thepressure exerted during ejection is adapted to bear against abutments M on the vice frame at the top and at the bottom, as shown in dot-and-dash linesin Figure 1. According to the invention, each abutment Mis provided with a recess I 5, which is so arranged that the moulds 2 of greater height are adapted to rest against the base of the recess. The two side walls of the recess H) of the abutment are so located that one of them will enter the groove 5 and the other will be located above the projecting part of the mould, when higher moulds 2 co-act therewith (Figure 4) When a low mould 4 is in use, the front surface of the latter will rest against the higher part of the abutment l4 (Figure 3)? the respective heights of the moulds are indicated in Figures 3 and 4 by the size of the arrows I6.

A further modification of a machine according to the invention resides in the means employed for advancing the mould disc. The mould disc is rotatable in known manner about a pivot ll located in the mould wheel slide which performs a forward and a rearward movement. For this purpose it is provided at its rear end with a hooklike projection IS, in which engages a roller 20. The roller is carried by a lever 2| pivotally mounted at one end 22 on the machine frame, and runs in a cam groove 24 of the cam 25, which is driven from the main shaft of the machine in the usual manner.

The bolt 26 of a cam roller 23 is eccentrically mounted in the lever 2|, i. e., that part of the bolt 26 which is located within the cam roller 23 is arranged eccentrically to that part with which the bolt is located in the lever 2l. On the outside, the lever 2i engages a clamping arm 21 on'the bolt 26, the former being slotted and firmly secured by means of a screw 28.

The clamping device 21 allows for release of the eccentric bolt 26 for slight adjustment, in order to compensate for any possible small inaccuracy of setting. The arm 2! engages a link 29, the

other end of which is articulated to one arm of a bell crank lever 30. The latter is pivotally mounted about a stationary pivot 3| on the machine frame, and a second arm is connected by a pin 32 to a draw rod 33, which projects forwardly and has two catches or recesses 34 with which it can be engaged in eitherof two positions of a pin or flange 35. For manipulation a knob 35 i provided. The arrangement described above operates as follows.

Assuming a high mould 2 to be in operative casting position, the rod 33 by means of the knob 36 is so adjusted that the eccentric bolt 26 comes into the position in which the distance separating the centres of the rollers 20 and 23 from each other is a minimum. When the high mould 2 is a mould of the usual height, their difference in height corresponds to the normal distance separating these two rollers. 'During the casting operation, the operative cycle is completed in the usual manner. The clamping jaws 1 between which the matrix line is held cannot be displaced when the mould and the mould wheel disc press against it (and this notwithstanding the yielding action of the springs I 2) because its rear surface lies against the first elevator (not shown) 7 which then occupies its lowermost position, and

thus secures both the line of matrices and the clamping jaws against any displacement.

During the time a slug is being cast in one mould 2, another high mould 2 or a low mould 4 may be in the ejecting position in front of the ejector, but in no case can this mould prevent the mould disc from passing into the casting position, as the forward movement of the mould disc is only effected to such an extent as to correspond with the high mould 2 so that the mould located in the ejecting position will therefore not come into engagement with the abutments [4. When the high mould now moves from the casting position, with the slug located therein, to the ejecting position, either another high mould or a low mould may move at the same time in front of the clamping jaws. If a low mould is located in front of the clamping jaws, it clearly cannot prevent the forward movement of the mould disc necessary for the high mould to come into engagement with the abutments l4 in the manner 7 shown in Figure 4. If, on the other hand, the

high mould 2 is located in front of the clamping jaws, the latter, when the mould wheel is moved forward with the mould, remain pressing against 7 difference in the heights of the molds.

them as they are moved back into the position shown in Figure in consequence of their resilient mounting. As a matter of fact it is desirable, when a high mould is in use and is intended to bear against the abutments M in the manner shown in Figure 4, for the mould disc l, with the mould, to move an additional distance, since the abutments 14 are recessed and the actual banking surface on the mould 2 is set back to the extent of the difference in the heights of the high and low moulds. This supplementary movement of the mould disc is not carried out by the mould wheel advancing mechanism, but is effected merely by the pressure of the ejecting mechanism against the slug, utilizing the different amount of play in the combination of levers.

If a low mould 4 is in operative casting position, the rod 33 is set to the other recess 34. The eccentric bolt 26 then stands at a position in which the distance between the rollers 28 and 23 is greater than the difference between the heights of the moulds. Consequently the mould disc will be moved a correspondingly greater amount forward by the cams 24 and 25, and the low mould moves into position in the usual manner on the clamping jaws 1. If at that time a high mould is in the ejecting position, the recess in the'abutments M allows the necessary forward movement of the mould to the extent of the When, thereafter, the low mould reaches the ejecting position, the parts occupy the position shown in Figure 3. At that time, a high mould may be located in front of the clamping jaws, and as the latter in consequence of the shifting over of the eccentric bolt 25, now move in the usual manner when a high mould is in front of the clamping.

jaws, the latter will resiliently yield.

In slug casting machines it is usual to provide a disconnecting mechanism, which becomes operative to arrest operation of the first elevator, with the matrix line, fails to descend correctly and bring the matrix line between the clamping jaws. For this. purpose, in a machine according to the present invention, a rod 3! (Figure l) is provided, actuated by an abutment screw 39 (located on the first elevator 38) when the latter descends. When the first elevator properly meets the head of the vise frame it, on its stop 45!, disengagement and arrest of the operation does not take place. The rod 37 is then moved downwardly against the action of its spring 4!, so that a detent 42, pivotally mounted thereon moves from the path of a horizontally movable bolt 43, so

that when the mould wheel, with the moulds, advances, and moves the bolt 43, the latter passes the detent 42, and the machine continues to run. If, on the other hand, the rod 31 has not been moved downward to a sufficient extent, the bolt 43 comes into contact with a detent 42 and actuates the rod 31, thereby bringing the machine to a stand-still in the usual way.

In previous devices the movement of the bolt 43 has been effected by the moulds. Since, however, when both low and high moulds are used in the samemould disc at the same time, the bolt 43 is not always caused to perform the same movement, a stop 44 has been provided, according to the invention, on the mould disc itself, which stop comes into engagement with the bolt 43 and a forward movement on the part of the bolt 43 is thereby made independent of the height of the mould.

It should be understood that the machine may be constructed differently without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus in place of the adjustment of the combination of levers for the advancement of the mould disc by means of an eccentric, any other convenient arrangement producing an increase or a decrease of the effective length of the arm 2|, may be adopted, such as a toggle lever or toothed rack drive or the like. The form given to the abutments l4 may also match the shape of the moulds employed. The present arrangement is not restricted to amould disc with four moulds only, but may be applied to machines carrying a larger or smaller number of moulds irrespective of their number.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A typographical slug casting machine comprising a mould wheel, means for advancing said mould Wheel to its casting position with a mould therein against a line of matrices, and jaws for clamping said matrix line which are movably mounted in order to yield when necessary to the adjacent mould on the advancing mould wheel.

2. A typographical slug casting machine comprising a mould wheel, means for advancing said mould wheel to its casting position with a mould therein against a line of matrices, a vise frame, line clamping jaws having blocks movably mounted in recesses in said vise frame, and springs urging said blocks towards said mould wheel.

3. A typographical slug casting machine comprising a mould wheel, means for advancing said mould wheel to its casting position with a mould therein against a line of matrices, a vise frame, line clamping jaws movably mounted in said vise frame adapted to yield when necessary to the adjacent mould on the advancing mould wheel, and abutments on said vise frame against which a mould in the slug ejecting position on said mould wheel is adapted to be pressed when said wheel is advanced.

4. A typographical slug casting machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said abutments are recessed to accommodate part of a high mould, when in the slug ejecting position on the mould wheel.

5. A typographical slug casting machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said abutments are recessed to accommodate part of a high mould when in the slug ejecting position on the mould wheel, and said high moulds on said wheel are shaped so that part thereof fits into said recesses.

6, A typographical slug casting machine comprising a mould wheel, means for advancing said mould wheel to its casting position with a mould thereon against a line of matrices, line-clamping jaws adapted to yield when necessary to a mould on the advancing mould wheel, and means for adjusting the amount of advance of said mould wheel in accordance with the height of the mould in which a slug is about to be cast.

7. A typographical slug casting machine according to claim 6, comprising a coupling of variable efiective length between the slide carrying said mould wheel, and its operating cam.

8. A typographical slug casting machine according to claim 6, comprising a link extending between the slide carrying said mould wheel and its operating cam, having a roller eccentrically mounted thereon to engage said cam.

9. A typographical slug casting machine, comprising a mould wheel equipped with moulds of different heights, means for advancing said mould wheel different extents to its casting position, and a safety device, adapted to arrest operation of the machine if the first elevator fails to assume its correct position, operable by said mould wheel irrespective of its extent of advance.

10. A typographical slug casting machine, comprising a mould wheel equipped with moulds of different heights, means for advancing said mould Wheel different extents to its casting position, means in the vise frame for accommodating said moulds of different heights in the slug casting and slug ejecting positions on the mould wheel, and a safety device, adapted to arrest operation of the machine if the first elevator fails to assume its correct position, operable by said mould wheel irrespective of its extent of advance.

11. A typographical slug casting machine comprising a mould wheel equipped with moulds of different heights, means for advancing the mould wheel to different extents to accommodate the different height moulds, a safety device adapted to arrest the operation of the machine if the first mould wheel irrespective of its extent of move ment.

CHRISTIAN AUGUSTUS ALBRECHT. 

